beauty blog

Get excited! It’s time for a giveaway thanks to a new launch going on today! I’ve teamed up with rue21 for their new fragrance and beauty line Wonderlust and we’re giving one Trend Hungry reader a chance to discover the wonder with a prize pack filled with beauty, fragrance, and fashion goodies! Ahh, don’t ya just love free stuff, especially when it’s brand new?! Okay, now let me share some details with ya along with how you can try your chance at snagging the prize pack.

Wonderlust is rue21’s new line that includes fragrance, beauty, and accessories and is available in rue21 stores and rue21.com.

You gotta get a whiff of their new Wonderlust Fallen Vixen fragrance. It’s got hints of sweet berries, floral, vanilla and sandalwood scent and was made for the Wonderlust girl. Who is she? She’s got a mischievous side, daring with style, fearless and flirty, energetic and a leader. The Wonderlust girl can rock combat boots one minute then be girly the next. So is that you? Enter to win! Details below!

The Wonderlust Winner will receive a prize pack that includes:

How to Enter

The Wonderlust Winner will chosen at random using Rafflecopter on June 31, 2014. This contest is sponsored by rue21 and open to US residents only. Prize pack is valued at $60 and cannot be exchanged. Winner will be announced by August 1st and prize will be mailed out to the winner once address is received.

Now use the form provided and increase your odds by using more than one method to apply. Good luck!!

The 2014 award show season has officially begun. The 71st Annual Golden Globes hosted by the legendary Tina Fey/Amy Poehler duo,was a night was full of memorable moments (thanks to a room full of tipsy celebs), including that awkward P.Diddy/Bono on stage “hug”, Emma Thompson’s disregard for her Louboutin’s, and many “I didn’t plan ahead” acceptance speeches.

While the ceremony was entertaining, my real reason for watching was to scope out the night’s gorgeous fashions and stunning beauty. I searched out the night’s beauty trends that stole the show and have the top five looks that dominated the red carpet.

1. Colored Smoky Eye

Kaley Cuoco. The newlywed adds edge to the traditional smoky eye by using greens and blues. The key nailing this look is to use darker hues, so to not overpower the eyes with color.

Reese Witherspoon. Not only does Reese’s blond asymmetrical bob top our best hair list, but her golden shadow makes her blue eyes really pop.

Lupita Nyong’o. Topping everyone’s best dressed list, the 12 Years a Slave actress used a subtle gold smokey eye and red sheen lip to compliment her gorgeous skin tone.

This holiday season I’m sure you’ve seen your fair share of candy canes – hanging from the tree, doled out by Santa, even making their way into your yummy holiday treats and coffee. But did you know that these peppermint sticks offer more than just a sugar rush and fresh breath? Peppermint oil alone contains omega-3 fatty acids, iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamins A and C, minerals, potassium, manganese and copper - basically a beauty guru’s gold mine. I used this season’s staple scent for some quick fixes that will leave you relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle (and recover from) all of those holiday parties.

1. Holiday Party Recovery Treatment

3-4 drops peppermint oil

All you need is the oil! For holiday headaches, just dab a few drops on your wrist, close your eyes, and inhale. You’ll notice instant relief. The oil also works wonders for nausea, so keep a small bottle by your bedside for those mornings after you had one too many egg-nogs.

2. Peppermint Sugar Scrub

For a quick fix to smooth dull winter skin, or as a last-minute DIY gift, whip up this three-ingredient sugar scrub.

2 cups granulated white sugar

1/3 cup coconut oil (almond oil also works)

2-4 drops peppermint oil

Add the coconut or almond oil slowly while mixing sugar to gradually create a smooth consistency. Feel free to use less oil if you’d like a heavy duty scrub. Then add the peppermint oil. Voila! A simple (and affordable!) way to de-stress.

Gift Tip: Make this scrub as a gift, and make it festive. Separate the scrub into two bowls. Add a drop or two of red food coloring to one bowl and mix thoroughly. Layer the scrub in a mason jar, alternating the red and white mixtures, to create a candy-cane inspired look! Seal and wrap with a bow!

Microwave mixture for 30 seconds. Apply warm hair mask to wet hair, applying from roots to tip. To be sure you distribute evenly, use a wide-tooth comb and comb the treatment through. Cover hair with a shower cap (or use a plastic shopping bag) and leave on for 1-2 hours. Use this time to do some online shopping, bake some cookies, or catch up on Netflix.

After the mask sits, shampoo and condition hair, comb with a wide-tooth comb and let air dry. You’ll notice a dramatic change and will be stunned by how silky smooth your locks are!

If you take these peppermint DIYs on a test drive, you’ll be coming out with lower stress levels, smoother skin, shinier hair, and higher energy levels. I don’t know about you, but those four are at the top of my wish list. To remain sane this holiday season, all you have to remember is to keep calm and use peppermint oil.

It’s time for another beauty DIY, and since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, I thought it’d be a great time to break out our favorite holiday sides and use them to their full potential. Two of my personal favorite holiday foods, cranberries and sweet potatoes, are loaded with beauty benefits and I’ve got the perfect pick-me-up for dry, dull winter skin.

What You’ll Need (and Why):

Cranberries

(1/2 cup processed or blended to pulp). This berries are rich in antioxidants, and vitamins C and B. They are a quadruple threat, boasting anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, brightening, AND softening properties which help skin really glow.

Sweet potato

(1/2 cup steamed) This delicious veggie is high in vitamin A, which not only keeps skin healthy and glowing, but helps boost collagen and elastin production, which will improve skin’s elasticity.

1 tbsp honey

Honey is a regular in my DIY masks, as it contains natural healing moisture, which won’t clog up or pollute pores.

1 tsp organic yogurt

Another facial feature, plain organic yogurt is loaded with anti-bacterial cultures which help to clear any build-up, make-up, and excess oils. These cultures also help to treat and heal acne.

1 tbsp coarse brown sugar

The coarseness of this sugar works well on dull skin to remove dead skin cells. If you have sensitive skin, I recommend skipping this ingredient.

How-To Make:

First start by mashing up the sweet potato with the honey in a small bowl. Add the processed cranberries (which should be more like a juicy pulp at this point). Lastly, add the yogurt and sugar and mix until smooth. Apply mask to face and neck and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. You’ll be surprised by how bright and smooth your skin will look and feel!

Another easy way to use household items to make a name brand quality product, but without the chemicals or the costs. This whole at home facial thing is really up my alley, what do you think?

Have any beauty issues you’d like to deal with DIY style? Comment yours and we’ll pick one to create a DIY treatment!

How many times have you noticed a blemish coming on and not had any treatments on hand? And if you do have those fancy spot treatments, why are you spending so much money on them?! We have a very simple, very effective at home solution to fix you blemish woes and get you flawless skin in no time.

All you will need for this DIY miracle treatment are some on-hand household items:

3 aspirin

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. warm honey (optional)

2-3 tbsp. baking soda

Mash and grind up the aspirin into a near powder using a rolling pin or the bottom of a coffee mug. Add powder to small dish and mix in lemon juice until a paste forms. If you have dry skin, add the option warm honey for additional moisture (Note: if you have oily or sensitive skin, skip the honey). On clean skin, apply a thin layer of the mixture to affected areas. Leave on for 10-15 minutes, or until dry. Wipe off with a washcloth dipped in warm water and baking soda. Splash face with cold water once all treatment is removed.

Why is this treatment so effective? Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory and contains the well-known blemish fighter salicylic acid, which makes for a pimple fighting powerhouse. Lemon juice contains concentrated citric acid, an anti-bacterial ingredient which helps to heal acne and even out skin tone. The honey helps to soothe itchy and dry skin and plumps skin with organic and natural moisture. As for the removal, warm water helps to open up pores and the baking soda is a great exfoliator, which will leave your skin smooth and soft. Once all is said and done, the splash of cold water will snap pores back shut!

Try this 10 minute treatment and let us know how it helped you! Also we’d love to hear your blemish-fighting home remedies, so comment and share them below!

As the cooler temps arrive, our wardrobes aren’t the only thing that change up for fall. One of my favorite autumn changes (aside from the leaves) are the reinstatement of fall manis. On the runway, there were classic deep red and black nails, but this season is also filled with some unexpected nails we can’t wait to try! We’re here to give you the top nail trends for this fall, from deep dramatic hues to heavy metals to unexpected shocks of color, read on to find your next go-to favorite.

1. Matte

Popping up all over the fall 2013 runway, not to mention Pinterest boards, the newest and most popular nail trend is matted nails. Switching up everything you know about your traditional super shiny, high gloss manis for a muted finish looks anything but dull. Our fave was the red nails spotted at Badgley Mischka.

3. Deep Red

(or Oxblood, which I can’t bring myself to say). This hue, whatever you’d like to call it, is a classically beautiful fall shade, perfect for any occasion and pairs well with all skin tones. We’ve been eyeing up the chic red nails at Wes Gordon:

4. Back in Black

The color formerly observed for only the toughest of the tough gals (and even guys), is back in the spotlight once again. Black is a seemingly intimidating nail color, but looks exceptionally sexy, chic, and gorgeous. Don’t believe me? Check out these amazing nails from BCBG Max Azria :

5. 3-D Embellishments

In some shows, the most eye-catching part of the runway was not the clothes, but the nails. From the gold totally blinged out claws at DKNY, to the colorful gems and jewels at Libertine, this trend has upgraded nails from a mere accent to show stealers! If you want to try this trend, we suggest starting off with an accent nail before diving into embellishing all of your digits. Look below for our fave runway inspirations:

6. Neutral Nudes

A modest and feminine nude manicure looks warm and romantic and is perfect for everyday wear. Our fave look was from designer Gabriela Perezutti, who paired up with OPI, where models with lacquered with “Don’t Pretzel My Buttons.” Also a hit for fall was the buffed out beige from Alexander Wang.

Friday the 13th sure isn’t bad luck anymore, at least for this month. Why? It’s International Chocolate Day! Just another reason why Friday is the sweetest day of the week (excuse the bad pun).

To celebrate, I’ve gathered my tried and true chocolate beauty products (yes, they exist, and with all the indulgence of chocolate decadence without costing you one calorie).

1. Chocomania Collection

My absolute faaaavorite collection from the Body Shop: Chocomania. The name pretty much speaks for itself. All chocolate everything, from body butters and scrubs, to lotions and body washes, this collection has it all. My personal favorite is the Chocomania body lotion. I apply right before bed, the scent is warm and cozy, and not at all overbearing.

2. Lush Chocolate Whipstick

The name alone has me hungry. I love this little pot of miracle balm, infused with vanilla, chocolate, oats and almond oil. This is about as close as you’ll come to chocolate indulgence without actually eating it! Handmade at Lush Cosmetics.

3. Demeter Chocolate Covered Cherries Body Spray

Not only can you smell sweet and yummy all day long, way past International Chocolate Day, but you can get this delicious scent in many different forms. Go all out and get the body spray, perfume oil, body lotion, shower gel, and even a diffuser oil so your room can smell like chocolate-y goodness 24/7! Perfect for chocolate fiends like myself.

4. Carol’s Daughter Chocolat 3-Piece Starter Kit

For those of us who use heating tools on our hair, looking to banish frizz, and also have a love for chocolate (isn’t that just about everyone?), this kit is a home run. Using cocoa extracts, the collection smooths all frizziness and protects the hair follicle from heat damage. Not to mention it smells like heaven! Pick up your kit today so you can shampoo, condition, and blow dry your way to silky softness all through the magic of chocolate.

5. White, Milk, and Dark Chocolate Nail Colors

How about celebrating the day with a mani inspired by your fave chocolate? Personally I’m a fan of dark chocolate, and it’s a perfect color for Fall, which is right around the corner! Which color is your fav?

Now that your mouth is watering and you are in a chocolate craving tizzy, it’s time to go out an celebrate my personal new favorite holiday! Which products do you love the most? Any you are excited to try out or want to let us know about?

Remember the hype? The “all-in -one miracle product” that came to change the beauty game forever? I’m talking about the wildly popular BB and CC creams that have completely taken over, replaced foundation, and have planted themselves permanently into our morning routines. If you haven’t already given in to this new(ish) found phenomenon, the new addition to the BB fam is sure to get you hooked. Introducing BB and CC creams for your hair!

Thank the hair gods.

Now my hair problems (well, most of them) can be tamed and treated in the same “10 solutions, 1 step” fashion as my skin, thanks to the BB/CC magic. This product, released initially by Pantene, can be used on wet or dry hair and boasts 10 hair solutions we can all benefit from: silky softness, enhanced shine, moisture, frizz control, tamed fly-aways, manageability, repaired rough hair, strength against damage, smoothness, and heat protection. Honestly, what more could you need?

Be mindful.

There’s one important thing to keep in mind when trying this trend: be mindful of your hair type. If you have oily hair, use less product and apply away from roots to avoid excess oil build up as this product is chock full of moisturizers. It may be best to apply on dry hair for your first time use so you can gauge the correct amount (it’s harder to tell how much product you apply while hair is still wet). For dry hair, apply when wet prior to drying to avoid a frizzy, post blow-out mess. Keep in mind the amount of product you are using, start with a quarter size and apply more post blow drying where necessary.

Overall, I love this product. I’m a huge fan of anything that can cut my routine time down (I think I’ve got a best time of 8 minutes). Strong enough to tame my tresses, but light enough for everyday use, definitely an A+ in my book.

Try the trend.

Aside from Pantene, other brands have taken to the trend, check em’ out below. Let us know what you think of the BB takeover!

Hosted by our Trend Hungry Blogger-in-Chief, Jessie welcomed guests to Headhouse Salon’s absolutely stunning space; a large, lofty, and chic salon with rafter ceilings and exposed brick walls, bringing together the aesthetics of uptown salons and the edge and simplicity of downtown Philadelphia. Owners Jade, Missy, and Meighan are so warm and welcoming, and offer the perfect combination of professionalism and easy-going attitudes we all look for when hunting for the perfect salon.

After our tour of the salon (and their outdoor deck!), bloggers were given demos on the top summer hair trends and were able to pick a trend to try out for themselves:

1. Summer Shades

Adding a bit of funky color to your locks is a surefire way to pump up your hair for the summer. Pops of pink, purple, blues, and peach look great as accents, or, if you’re feeling bold, as all over color (a la Katy Perry). Either look can be achieved flawlessly with extensions from Great Lengths, which last 3-5 months and you never have to worry about the color fading or damaging hair. Win-win! (Stop by Headhouse Salon to schedule a consultation on Great Lengths keratin-bonded extensions, for any color hair!)

2. Beach Bum Blowout

Relaxed, beachy waves are the go-to look for summer. This carefree style is easy to create: twist towel-dried hair in big sections and blast with diffuser, keeping the twist in tact (twist and pin sections to head for added oomph). When dry, remove twists and shake out hair to reveal beachy, textured waves. My beach blowout was amplified by Arrojo Hair cream, which gave my locks added texture and wave without looking or feeling weighed down. As the day goes on, your waves will get looser and a bit messier, but that’s the beauty of this look; it’s not meant to be perfect! Here I am getting my makeup done by Jade after trying out the beach bum.

3. Fishtail

The trendy update of the classic braid (modeled by the night’s host and styled by Meighan). Fishtail braids are EVERYWHERE, yet a lot of us are still in the dark on how to create one. Luckily, the Headhouse stylists are pros and went step-by-step to show Philly Blog Lovers how it’s done. First, divide hair in two sections. Take a small section of hair from the outer edge of one section and cross over to bring to the opposite side (overlapping as you would for a standard braid). Repeat with a small section from the other side, tightening braid as you continue. Repeat this process and tie off end with an elastic. Directions always seem more complex than they are, so try this one for yourself, it’s way easier than it looks!!

And there was a SURPRISE!! A popup gifting suite!!! In addition to getting to leave with a new style, each guest got to leave with a slew of Summer Style goodies!!

Thanks Headhouse Salon and Philly Blog Love for an amazing event – full of tips, sips, treats … not to mention we all left with a new summer style of our own! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for the future! Xx

All of us have been there, those humid days when you HAVE to be outside (for a wedding, a party, a family reunion, whatever) and your makeup doesn’t make it past the first 20 minutes. Soon you find yourself a sweaty mess, complete with clumping or cakey foundation, melting liner, and sticky lips. This, ladies, is the summer face melt. Yikes.

I can’t be the only one who is struggling to keep it together in this crazy summer heat. Being hot, sticky, and uncomfortable only irritates me, but luckily I’ve found some solutions to staying pretty and preventing the classic (and all too familiar) “face melt” of summer beauty. Hey, at least now we have long lasting, humidity proof makeup to be happy about, right?!

1. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector SPF 30, $7.19. We’ve already discussed the magic of BB creams, but these really come in handy during the summer heat. One product, one application, and one easy step to a smooth, even, fresh face. Being a multi-tasking product really helps, so you don’t have to layer on moisturizer, primer, and foundation (which tend to cake up and melt in the heat). The SPF will keep you protected from those harmful UVs!

3. Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer, $20.00. The name says it all! Insure your lids with this sweat-proof primer. Shadows and liners will stay on all day without worry, and this primer consistently gets top knotch reviews; definitely worth the 20 dollar investment!

4. Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner, $18.00. Known for her tattoos, Ms. Von D’s liner is almost as permanent. This stuff really sticks, throughout the heat, water and whatever else you’ll be getting into this summer, this is your liner! With it’s exact precision and durability, you can even use it to create temporary tattoos!